Exclusive: Director Palash Vaswani says Bada Naam Karenge is a Tribute to Maine Pyar Kiya

Legendary filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya has ventured into the OTT space with his recently released series Bada Naam Karenge. Directed by Palash Vaswani of Gullak fame, the show stars Ritik Ghanshani and Ayesha Kaduskar in key roles. During an exclusive conversation with Filmfare, Vaswani shared that the show is his tribute to Barjatya’s debut film Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), which starred Salman Khan and Bhagyashree.

He opened up about the huge responsibility of carrying forward Barjatya’s legacy through OTT and said, “I was an engineer and had no connection to film schools. Everything I learnt, I did by watching films. Sooraj sir was one of the directors I idolised since childhood. I’ve witnessed the kind of reaction people had to films like Maine Pyar Kiya or Hum Aapke Hain Koun..? when they were released in theatres. I was mesmerised and wondered how so many people could feel the same emotion at the same time while watching these films. I was young when MPK was released. Even if I watch the film now, I can still remember how the small-town cinema hall smelled of popcorn and samosas back then. The film is so magical that it evokes all these memories.”

He continued, “So to collaborate with someone like that, was a huge thing for me. I have learnt by watching him so it is a big responsibility. His stories spread happiness among people and I had to keep that intact while also bringing in my perspective on stories and relationships. Relatability is a big factor for me. This show is a story about two young people and their families, their ambitions and how they fall in love. How true can I stay to the feeling of first love so that people also find it relatable was the question.”

Further explaining this perspective, the filmmaker said, “One of these families is middle class and the other one is wealthy. I wanted to show that rich family in a way that would feel relatable to the common people. I had a rich friend in school and every time he came over, my mother would say, ‘Look, he comes from such a rich family, yet he is touching our feet.’ So, I wanted to make the family look relatable like that. I tried to bring in those elements from my end and tried to be true to Rajshri and Sooraj sir’s vision. And I am happy with the outcome.”